What Is a Foot Fetish? Meaning and Common Questions

If you have wondered what a foot fetish is, or whether yours is common, you are in the right place. This guide covers the meaning, the other names for it, whether it counts as normal, who has it, and how to find people who share it.

A foot fetish is a sexual interest in feet

A foot fetish is a sexual interest in feet. For some people, feet are simply a pleasing part of the body that adds to attraction. For others, activity involving feet is an important part of sex, and for a smaller number it is the only way they can climax. It is the most common fetish centered on a body part, which is why it has so many names and so much written about it.

Other names: podophilia and foot partialism

You will also see the interest called foot partialism, meaning a strong focus on one part of the body, or podophilia. Podophilia is not the same as pedophilia, and the two words should never be confused. In everyday use most people just say foot fetish, and the people who share it often call themselves foot lovers.

Is a foot fetish normal?

A foot fetish is not considered a problem on its own. Psychiatric and medical bodies today see it as a valid expression of human sexuality and not pathological. It only becomes a concern if it involves acts such as stealing footwear or touching people without consent, or if it causes real distress in daily life. The vast majority of people with a foot fetish include it in consensual sex with a partner.

Who has a foot fetish?

Foot fetishes are most common in men, slightly more so among gay and bisexual men, and least common among heterosexual women. Figures vary by study. A Belgian survey found a foot fetish interest among 17 percent of men and 4 percent of women, and about 14 percent of Americans in Justin Lehmiller's study had sexual experience involving feet. Researchers do not agree on what causes it.

What do people actually enjoy?

The most common things are admiring feet, giving a massage, washing a partner's feet, painting toenails, kissing, tickling and licking. Some people also like jewelry such as toe rings and anklets, or being gently stepped on. Everyone's list is different, and nobody is expected to like all of it.

How to find people who share your interest

Many people keep a foot fetish quiet because they worry how a date will react. A foot fetish dating site removes that worry, since everyone there is open about it. Say what you enjoy plainly, ask about limits, and take your time before meeting in person.